Washington OXI Day Foundation’s Third Annual Celebration of Freedom

Source: thenationalherald

Greek-American Christopher Mehiel, who served the U.S. in WWII and all over the world, will be honored posthumously by the Washington OXI Day Foundation.

The Third annual commemoration of the Greece’s resounding “NO-OXI” to the forces of fascism on October 28, 1940 and the celebration of the courage of those who fight to preserve and promote freedom and democracy around the world will be presented by The Washington Oxi Day Foundation October 23-25 in Washington, DC.

The gathering, which will be attended by people from across the country and around the world, culminates in a Black Tie Dinner and Presentation of Oxi Day Awards the evening of October 24.

The recipients include Kenyan journalist and anti-corruption crusader John Githongo, introduced via video by pop music icon Bono, and Cuban dissident and leader of the Women in White organization, Berta Soler.

The keynote speaker will be noted financier Jim Chanos.

The free world watched as one by one countries across Europe surrendered to Hitler’s Axis forces. At 3:00 a.m. on October 28, 1940, a representative of the Axis forces arrived at the Greek prime minister’s residence and demanded Greece’s surrender. The prime minister replied with one single word – Oxi – No.

A few hours later, the Axis forces descended on Greece, expecting that it would quickly fall, but the Greek resistance forced Hitler to change his plans. News of Greece’s victory flooded the radio airwaves and covered the front pages of newspapers around the globe. A grateful world celebrated – no one expected such a small nation to derail the seemingly unstoppable Axis forces.